New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-24
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

rue MERRY MEN, AMI Other Tales and Faolss by
ponrRT LOUIS sTEvESsOS. l6mo pp SVo. Onario'
Bcribner's Sons.
Mr.. uson's sense of humor is 30 quick that
,we can imagine him laughing at the vision OF con-
6dpg public buying his aew book under the I'M
preston that it is particularly jovial Most OIL IL ID
on the contrary an ingenious collection OF horrors
mud the story from which 1t takes ITS title Is the
most grewsome Of the lot. The Merry Men Is the
nvme OF group of breakers OIL dangerous part Of
the Scottish coast and they are connected with
tragedy of shIpwreok, insanity avarice ana
murder developed ia the midst of storm and terror
with power Of which Mr. Stevenson has gwen US
before now many clear evidence In TINS taie tno
motive Is slnpe the treatment is direct ana Vieor
ous the scenic accessories are managed WIFI "oihi
able effect every stroke tells. the sensation IN
creases steadily the close is dramatic anu Impos
.;ve tis the work of strong hand controlled Dy
a fine artistic sense "Markhcm." a fantastic tale
of murder. aud Thrawn Janet" which deals Wild
Seottish superstitons of witcbcraf5 ana the deld-
alive. arc told with no less skill than The Merry
Men," but arc more dsagrecable, partly because
the interest in each of them is confined to single
Abnormal character in the one idotic. in the other
criminal. aMarkbeih," however, contains mingled
with q somewhat misty supernatural element an
awful study of the working of a murderers mind,
and IN Ihrawn Janet" a blood-curdling legend Is
set forth with some mastery touches "OlalIa"
has many picturesque and passionate qualities. Opt
it turns upon most repulsive subject. the progress
sve degradation If intellect in n family which re-
tains hereditary nobeness of ply sique and beauty
of feature. Olalla has escaped the taint but sne
Is blessed with maniac mother and half witted
brother and the point of the story is her sesacri
6cing but upon the whoe sensible resolution not 10
pro!ong y marriage tine existence OF the undeslra-
BILE STOCK. 1t will te seen tnat Mr.. Stevenson puts
q liberal allowance of lunacy into his book. But
thers are two stories in which all tho persOnages
fortun ateIy are sane. "Will o the Mill" we sup.
nose he classes as fable. Though We may be left
In doubt as to its motive there can be no question
about the charm and liveliness of the style,
the frequent expression Of poetical fancy ana the
Aubdued sensibilty which psrmeates 1t like deli
cate essence, giving the story now SAVIOR OF seotl-
meut ana now taste of fun. Still more fascinating
by grace of manner is the last and lonaest STORY,
The Treasure of Franchard," which many readers
will lind the most delightful In the boob Instead OF
the Iurd venemcnce of " The Merry Men we have
here brisk and pleasant piece acted by three we'll
drawn personsges. Of whom is an incon parable
eccentric 1t abounds in drolery, 1t sparkles with
fine bits of desert ption and although 1T is epsen-
TALLY q story Of incident, almost theatrical In It's
employment of condolences and lucky accdents IL
depends upon the operations of Individual charac-
ter. for its working out 1t is remarkable indeed |
how pers,teutly even in the slightest of the tales.
Mr. Stevenson to character as the chle1 |
sprlnS of action. So close observance of one OF
the higher laws OF the novel IS rare In writer's OF
sensational short stories.
MEXICO OF TO-DAY. BY SOLOMON BULKIHY GRIT
FIN. l2mo, pp. 267. Harper & Brothers.
Mr. Grifin's book Is composed OF letters written
from Mexico to The Springfield Republican. appar-
,rb haA do matt inf firm
us hen bis visit vas made. how long IL lasted or
iust how much of tho republic be saw. His conclu-
sions therefore, must be regarded with reserve;
but AZ they do not differ from those with which We
are already familiar there is no special reason for
doubling them. For a really good book on Mexico
we must await some wesquipped observer who
will take time to explore the country and study the
people, At present travellers seem TO De content
with hurried railroad excursion and survey OF
society from the hotels aud public plazas Mr..
Griffin's verbose and uDsystenatic chapters have
mauy of the characteristics of secOnd-class news
paper writing aud his style belongs to the variety
sometimes known as the "reportoriaL"
THE RTE AND EARLY CONSTITUTION OF UNI
vERsJTIEs, W tn Surrey OF Medieval Education:
and History uf Education In the Universal, Of tdin-
burgn. i6mo pp XXX, 29S d. Appleton d. Co.
This book forms ole of the volumes + the Inter
national Education Series, edited Dy III. w. 1.
Harris wLo has added to 1t an introduction and
synopt cal table Intended chiefly for teachers an
the classes in normal schools. it serves import
ant porpose in exhibiting the great lines upon
which tho higher education has been conducted
from the time of the schools of ancient Athens.
Alexandria and Rome down to our own dav; and
the editor does not fail 10 poirt ont the application
of the inquiry to theories of instruction which
now attracting great deal of attention. Professor
Lauriss investigations to have been farreach-
ing. and he states his conclusions in an animated |
and attractive STYLE
LANES HARRINGTON, ID. d. FL g. FIR. G.S., First |
Eisbop of Eastern Equatorial Africa. History OF |
his Life and Work lJ47-Iss5. BY r. G. DAWSON, |
MA, Oxon., Incumbent Of st Thorass Church, ~ |
burIh l2mo, pp. ri - An. Arson ID. r. Randolph |
&Co
The life Of the.young missionary bishop. who was
massacred with number of Christian converts by
the King of Uganda In October 1855, Is told with
sympathy and fervor in this volume by one who
knew him we'll and who has had access to bis
family and personal papers, including the diary of
his very last hours n.ca ptlvty. 1t is narrative OF
deep interest. not only account of its religious
Lessons hnt owing to the peculiarly attractive traits
of the man whom it commentaries He was
devoted clergyman and cheerful friend. fond of
GOOD stories and adventurous deeds, with much OF
the aggressive spirit of his tempered by sim
cere pety and physical courage which ap- |
preached heroic proportions OF this last quality |
the story of his African journeys abounds with e1-
ampes. The biography Of such man is moral |